Rule compass



March 7, 1950 5. J. OLEJNICZAK 2,499,673

RULE COMPASS Filed April 5, 1948 Inventor Stephen Olejm'czak I 24mm.

My EMW Patented Mar. 7, 1950 UNITED'STATES PATENT OFFICE RULE COMPASSStephen J. Olejniczak, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 5, 1948, Serial No. 19,048

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structuralrefinements in 580-- metrical instruments, more specifically, compasses,and the principal object of the invention is to enable the user toquickly and accurately determine the radius to which the compass is set.

This object is achieved by the provision of what may be referred to as abeam compass, the beam portion of which assumes the form ofa'conventional ruler, usable with a pair of compass members, one ofwhich is adjustable on the ruler or scale as required.

An important feature of the invention resides in detachable mounting ofthe compass members on the scale, whereby the scale may be employed perse, or in association with the compass members.

A still further feature of the invention resides in the provision of arule compass which is simple in construction, which will readily lenditself to economical manufacture and which will not easily becomedamaged.

With the above more important objects and features in view and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially of the construction andarrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention,

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 2-2 in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 33 in Figure 1,

Figure t is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modified embodimentof the invention,

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 5-5 in Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a further modifiedembodiment of the invention.

Like characters or reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more specifically,to Figures 13 inclusively, the invention consists of a rule compassdesignated generally by the reference character It, the same embodyingin its construction a suitable graduated beam on scale I2, a stationarycompass member I4 and an adjustable compass member I6.

The compass member I4 assumes the form of a body formed with atransversely extending slot or recess I8 corresponding in width to thethickness of the beam I2, the beam being insertable in the slot I8 andbeing securable therein by means of a suitable set screw 24] provided inthe body i l.

The body I4 is also formed with a substantially cylindrical boreconstituting What may be referred to as a socket 22, this socket beingintended to receive a suitable compass needle 24 which is securabletherein-by means of a further set screw 26 provided in the body It.

It is to be noted that the socket 22 communicates with the recess orslot I8, and that the inner end portion of the needle 24 is formedintegrally with a sectionally reduced portion 23 which projects into theslot 18 and abuts the end edge 30 of the beam [2.

It should be understood that one side face of the portion 28 is disposedin the plane of the longitudinal axis of the needle 2d,.and by virtue ofthis arrangement, after the needle is inserted in position in the socket22, the beam 52 ma be inserted in the slot I8 until it abuts the portion28, thus assuring that the end edge of the beam is aligned with thelongitudinal axis of the needle. It is to be assumed that the zero indexof the graduations 32 on the scale I2 coincides with the edge 30thereof, whereby the zero index is also aligned with the point 34 of theneedle 24.

If desired, a suitable end plate 36 may be secured as at 38 through thebody I4, thereby closing one end of the slot I8 and "finishing theappearance of the body.

The aforementioned adjustable compass member I6 also assumes the form ofa relatively flat body provided with a transverse slot 40 to slidablyaccommodate the beam I2, the body of the member I6 also including asocket 42 wherein a suitable stylus 44 may be secured by means of a setscrew 26.

The body of the member I6 is provided at one side thereof with a "window48 of transparent material, inscribed with a transversely extending hairline or indicator 5!], with respect to which the graduations 32 on thescale i2 may be read.

For convenience in handling, both the member l4 and the member It may beprovided with suitable hand knobs 52, as will be clearly apparent.

When the invention is placed in use, it is to be noted that since thepoint 34 of the needle 24 is aligned with the zero index at the end edge30 of the scale I2, the radius of the compass may be quickly and easilydetermined by simply reading the scale with respect to the hair line 350, it being understood, of course, that the hair line is longitudinallyaligned with the axis of the stylus 44.

Referring now to the modified embodiment of the invention illustrated inthe accompanying Figure 4, the same is substantially similar to theembodiment already described, with exception of the stationary compassmember 60, the needle 62 of which is of uniform cross sectionalconfiguration at its inner end, and abuts an end edge 64 of a graduatedbeam or scale 66.

In this embodiment the graduations on the scale 66 are so arranged as tocompensate for half the diameter of the needle 62, so that the zeroindex of the scale is coincident with the longitudinal axis of theneedle, as will be clearly ap parent.

The needle 82 is retained in the body 60 by a suitable set screw 68, anda further set screw 10 is employed for retaining the scale 66 in thebody.

With reference to the further modified embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the accompanying Figure 6, the stationary compass member80 herein is formed with a transverse slot or recess 82 to accommodatean end portion of the beam 84, but the needle 86 used with the member 80is sufiiciently short and to permit the end edge of the scale 84 to abutan end plate 88 secured to the member 80 as at 90.

It is to be noted that in this embodiment of the invention, thegraduations 92 on the scale 84 are so arranged that the zero index 96 isin alignment with the longitudinal axis of the needle 86, that is to saythe graduations 92 do not extend to the end edge of the scale, as theydo in the aforementioned scale !2.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly,further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combina-- tion and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a rule compass, the combination of a beam having a straight end edge,a compass member provided with a recess to removably receive an endportion of said beam, said member being formed with a bore communicatingwith an inner portion of said recess, a cylindrical compass elementremovably receivable in said bore, and a semi-cylindrical extensionprovided at the inner end of said element, said extension projectinginto .said recess and the flat surface thereof abutting and constitutinga stop for the straight end edge of said beam to facilitate alignment ofsaid edge with the axis of said element.

STEPHEN J. OLEJNICZAK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 673,687 Penfield May 7, 1901939,597 Hurst Nov. 9, 1909 1,166,512 Dannenfelser Jan. 4, 191.61,321,312 Jooss Nov. 11, 1919 1,636,036 Bartlett July 19, 1927

